Photos: Michael Hussey (YoughalOnline.com)

Niamh Parker and New York Film Director Phil Allocco with Peter Bowling, General Manager Capella and Sasha King, Princess Pictures

Youghal native, Niamh Parker, owner of the popular restaurant franchise ‘Thai Cottage’, is now branching out into the world of film-making. At a recent press event at the Capella Castlemartyr Resort she spoke about the progress of her original screenplay ‘RA Child’, the first of several projects she has planned for her newly established Cork-based production company ‘Calin Rince’.

Niamh Parker and New York Film Director Phil Allocco

The main highlight of the press event was the introduction of the film’s newly acquired New York director, Phil Allocco who was one of the few short-listed directors picked by Steven Spielberg for a new TV series for FOX TV in the U.S.

The semi-autobiographical music-driven movie, set in Cork during the mid 1990’s, tells the story of a young woman trying to shrug off drug addiction. Ireland’s burgeoning economic boom is the backdrop for the film which also deals with alcohol addiction and bi-polar depression.
“Looking back on my teenage years growing up in Cork, it was hard to avoid drugs,” says Parker. “Rave parties were a big part of my youth. I was lucky to escape when I left to study in England at the age of 17. However, addiction is very powerful and you always need to be on your guard”.

Because of the screenplay’s semi-autobiographical nature, it promises to lift the lid on Ireland’s drug culture and for this reason the screenwriter insisted on “a young, brave director who is not afraid of handling challenging material”. “When I met Phil in New York, I knew instantly that he was the right man for the job. He was talking about the characters in RA Child as if he knew them personally. The fact that he has a background in music also excited me as RA Child is a music-driven project,” Ms. Parker said.

Christy Dignam from the Irish rock band, Aslan, will pen the title track of the film

Legendary Irish rock band, Aslan, are to pen the title track for the €3 million film while Damien Dempsey’s ballad ‘Part On’ will also feature. Casting for the film begins next month. It will be partly filmed in Thailand but primarily in Cork, feeding back into the region’s economy. The €3 million film ‘RA Child’ is the first of Niamh Parker’s Cork-based film production company ‘Cailin Rince’.

Niamh Parker and Christy Dignam from the rock band Aslan